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A good number of researchers have tried for quite a long time to link our
Brasseur/Brashear family to the Brassier de Jocas family of Pernes-la-
Fontaine, some 20-25 east of Avignon in southern France. I spent several
months in France in 2003, and (amid my sight seeing) I did some genealogical
research. Here is some of what I found on the Brassier de Jocas Family. It’s
rather long, so I’m going to break it up into parts. Part 1:
The Brassier de Jocas Family
compiled by Charles Brashear
#1. Laurence Brassier was a gentleman of the City of Reims, province of
Champagne, France. (Reims in northern France, a couple hours’ drive
northeast of Paris.) Laurence Brassier is mentioned in a military document in
1408 as the “recently deceased” father of Jean Brassier. Jean Brassier was a
volunteer and apparently a leader (Lt at first; Capt later) in the militia formed
about 1408 by Geoffrey le Maingre-Boussicaud to besiege the Anti-Pope, Benoit
(Benedict) XIII, at Avignon.
Reference #2. (below) notes that one finds in the domestic papers of the
noble Jean Brassier a deed that names Jean Brassier as a son of Laurence
Brassier, of Reims. (I have not seen this deed.)
From these records, I infer two things: 1. Jean Brassier was NOT the
eldest son. The laws of primogeniture at the time insured that the entire estate
of the deceased went to the eldest son. It was customary for younger sons to go
into the priesthood or the army. It was also common for a generous father to
“buy” the younger sons a place in the church or the army. (Generous donations
can bend the rules.)
It looks like Laurence bought Jean Brassier a commission in the forces of
Geoffrey le Maingre-Boussicaud. (His descendants can be proud that Jean
Brassier apparently did his job well, even if he was so young.)
From these records we can also infer, 2. that Laurence Brassier was a
well-to-do man. He is referred to as “Gentleman” (Chevalier) in one record and
as “noble” in another. I went to the Municipal Archives of Reims, at 7 Rue
Cardinal Lorraine, a few miles south of Reims (phone: 011 (the international
access number) + 33 (the country number for France) + 03.26.47.67.06 - the
number for the archives), but I found no land record pertaining to Laurence
Brassier.
The land records on file simply do not go back far enough. Nor do the
official vital statistics— births, marriages, deaths. We can only hope that some
other source refers to the land or holdings or family of Laurence Brassier,
which is not impossible. Some history of the region, some genealogy, some legal
document we don’t know about may mention him and his family.
Eventually, Jean Brassier (Jean de Brassier, Jean Brassier de Jocas)
came to be recognized as a member of the nobility in Comté-Venaissin, the
ancient province that lay between the Rhone River and the mountains to the
east, in the vicinity of Avignon, in southern France. Jean Brassier was written
up in several genealogies of the nobility. Among those I found are the following.
(Most of what I say below is from ref #1, which most of the others follow. Refs
#4 and #5 are the only ones that follow the Rouergue Branch of the family.)
1. Histoire de la Noblesse du Comté-Venaissin, pp. 185-190;
2. Essai Généalogiques Sur la Noblesse du Copmté-Vanaissin, et de la Ville d-
Avignon, Vol 1, printed in Carpentras in 1782 by Dominique-Gaspard
Quenin, Imprimeur de la Province (Printer for the province), pp. 235-238;
3. Histoire de la Noblesse du Comté-Venaissin, by Jean-Antoine Pithon-Curt,
Lafitte Reprints, Marseille, 1970, vol 1, pp. 522-523, vol 2, pp. 129, 163,
vol. 3, pp. 379, 509, vol 4, pp. 71-72;
4. Généalogie de la Famille Brassier, Marquis de Jocas, Seigneurs de Saint-
Simon de la Plane, du Pin, de Camboulan, de Vallade, etc, in Revue
historique de la Noblesse (a journal, “Historical Review of the Nobility,”
on which I could not find a date or volume number), pp. 233-254;
5. and, of course, the source that Peter Brashear brought back to the U.S. in
1926: Noblaire Universel Racueil General des Genealogies Historiques et
Veridiques des Maison Nobles de L’Europe, published by M. Le Vicomte
de Magny.
These genealogies agree on the three marriages of Jean Brassier, but
disagree on the number and names of his children.
Jean Brassier’s descendants established four different, noble branches of
the family: (1) the Lords and Marquises de Jocas, residing at Carpentras, a few
miles north of Pernes; (2) the branch of Brassier de La Plane, direct issue in the
second degree, who settled at Rouergue and became extinct with Bernard
Brassier, a Knight of the Order of the Holy Ghost of Montpellier, in 1696; (3)
the first branch of Brassier de Saint-Simon, descendants in the fourth degree,
who settled in Germany; and (4) the second branch of Brassier de Saint-Simon,
descendants in the seventh degree of the previous one, who “actually domiciled
in the ancient Provence of Le Rouergue.”
#2. Jean Brassier must have been a very young man in 1408. He lived
until 1477. Assuming that he was at least 18 years old at the time of his
commission, he would have been born c1390. That would have made him
about 87 when he died— a very long life at that time, indeed!
Geoffrey’s militia was apparently moderately successful. He confiscated
the lands of the Anti-Pope, which included Pernes, Chateauneuf, Bouléne, and
Bédarrides, in the province then called Comté-Venaissin, just east of Avignon.
He seems to have had the idea of dividing the lands among his followers,
perhaps to pay them for their services. “Captain” Jean Brassier received a
bounty grant near Pernes.
In 1415, Jean Brassier, still a member of Geoffrey’s forces, was taken
prisoner at the Battle of Agincourt. He and Geoffrey (and others?) were taken to
England as prisoners of war.
In 1421, Geoffrey’s powerful brother, Jean le Maingre, Marechal de
France, died. Jean and Geoffrey were apparently released at this time and
returned to France.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Pope was trying to retrieve the lands which Geoffrey
had taken by force and violence. In 1426, Geoffrey le Maingre and Jean
Brassier were again near Avignon, negotiating with the Avignon Pope. With the
Rector of Comté-Venaissin, Geoffrey reached an agreement as to areas to be
returned and a satisfactory pay-off to Geoffrey. But the agreement was short-
lived.
Some of Geoffrey’s impatient, unruly troops began raiding local villages,
pillaging and destroying. Geoffrey and some of his Captains (including Captain
Jean de la Porte) were brought to trial and ex-communicated. Jean Brassier
was NOT among those punished. He had apparently established himself on his
bounty lands near Pernes.
About 1440, Jean Brassier moved to the City of Pernes, where his name
is on various acts (leases and acknowledgments), dated 14 Feb 1446 (this one
witnessed by Barthelemy de Venasque, of a very old, noble family; he later
witnessed Jean Brassier’s marriage), 15 Feb 1449, 8 Jan 1456, before Claude
Cornetti, Notary at Pernes, and before Guilaume Pichoni, Notary at Pernes.
On 11 Jun 1449, Humbert de Rota, notary of Avignon, in a document
executed in the Castle of Boulbon in Provence, remitted revenues to Jean de
Brassier, which he had collected from Jean de la Porte, Lord (Seigneur) de
Champeroux, of the diocese of Bourges, an indication that Jean Brassier was
at least moderately well-to-do. (An indication also that excommunication did
not damage Jean de la Porte significantly.)
Jean Brassier married, first, Antoinette de Maulsang, sister of Antoine
de Maulsang who was witness for Jean Brassier several times. Through
Antoinette, Jean Brassier inherited land, but had no children. Antoinette was
allied with the d’Agoult family (I think her mother was a d’Agoult), who owned
an estate in Comté-Venaissin called “Jocas.”
Lord (Seigneur) Humbert d’Agoult, living in 993, 1005, 1006; m. Alix
_______ or Adelayde _______ , and had sons:
1. Rostain d’Agoult, who continued the family (oldest son)
2. Guillaume d’Agoult, Prince of Apt in 1019
3. Alfant d’Argoult, Bishop of Apt (1053, 1055, 1056), who was
famed for his knowledge and piety. “Il dona a son eglise Cathedrale
les Eglises et les Dixmes de Jocas, et un Domaine dans the Terroir
de Teurrettes, Juillet 1056" (He donated to his church-cathedral
the church and the “tenths” (the tithes from) de Jocas and a
domain in the territory of Teurettes, July, 1056; (There is some
evidence that his father bought Alfant the Bishopric.)
By a complicated process of inheritance and gifts, the d’Agoult “Jocas”
became the Maulsang “Jocas,” and, when Antoinette de Maulsang died, the
estate passed to Jean Brassier.
“Jocas” was what is called a “messuage,” a dwelling, along with
attendant outbuildings, barns, adjoining land, etc... what we today would call
an estate. A messuage is distinguished from a “menage,” the people who live on
a messuage. Since it was customary at the time to append to a person’s name
the messuage he was associated with, Jean Brassier became Jean Brassier de
Jocas, of the City of Pernes.
Later, Francois d’Agoult, Lord of le Baume des Arnauds, witnessed the
will of Jean Brassier, along with Antoine de Maulsang and Jean Raffier, 9
March 1477.
Jean Brassier de Jocas married, second, Hugette de Grignan, from the
City of Carpentras. Hugette was from a noted family dating back to the
eleventh century and famous for their participation in the Crusades. She made
her testament in the month of January, 1463, before Guillaume Pichoni,
Notary at Pernes. Her heir was Rudolfe de Vulsiochia, her son by her first
marriage to N_______ de Vulsiochia. She had no children by Jean Brassier.
Hugette de Grignan was a daughter of Guillaume de Grignan, who was a
son of Aimar Grigan, the second of the name. Hugette’s brother, Christophe
was city manager of Carpentras several times (1450, 1458, 1464, 1470, 1477,
1481) and Consul of Carpentras several times (1481, 1482, 1489, 1499). This
same Guillaume was a brother or cousin of Rollander de Grignan, who had
established himself in Carpentras. Thus there were two lines of noble Grignans
in Carpentras at the same time.
Jean Brassier de Jocas married third, on 25 March 1465, Isabelle de
Ricci, daughter of Baudet Ricci, of the City of Apt. The contract was signed
before Guilaume Pichoni, Notary at Pernes and the witnesses were Bartheleme
de Venasque of the City of Pernes; Estienne, Pierre, and Antoine Ricci, of the
City of Apt (Isabelle’s brothers); Antoine d’Albertas; Pierre Corage; and Antoine
de Maulsang. The contract included a clause to the effect that, should his
widow remarry, their children were to be under the care of Etienne and Pierre
de Riccis, his brothers-in-law. This has all the ear-marks of a very old, very
wealthy man marrying a very young woman of some wealth and position. He
died some 12 years later. She lived another 55 years, until about 1520; her son
and grandson divided the estate in January, 1521.
On 9 March 1477, Jean de Brassier de Jocas made his will before
Guilaume Pichoni, Notary of Pernes, and he apparently died soon thereafter.
The will was witnessed by Francois d’Agoult, Lord of le Baume des Arnauds;
Antoine de Maulsang; and Jean Raffier.
The will names four children, all born between 1465 and 1477:
b-1. *Raimond Brassier (or Raimonet Brassier), who died about 1494; married
and had one son. See later.
b-2. Jean Brassier, died without posterity. (Called “the other Jean” in the
records. I suspect [no evidence] he was the first-born and was given his
father’s name, but the child was “afflicted,” e.g. Downs Syndrome or
some such, and no one expected him to live. As soon as they perceived
the defect, they named another child with his father’s name. But this is
ALL speculation.) However, the kid lived until about 1520. Jean Brassier,
II, and nephew Andre divided the estate of Jean and Isabelle and “the
other Jean” in Jan 1521.
b-3. *Jean Brassier, II, “the second of the name,” who continued the posterity;
b-4. Catherine de Brassier, m. 14 Oct 1485, Jean de Sainte Marie, of the
City of Pernes. (If she was 13 at the time of her marriage, she would have
been born c1472. The contract was witnessed by her brother, Raimonet,
and her uncle, Pierre de Riccis)
c-1. Claude de Sainte-Marie, heir of Andre de Brassier, son of Raimond
Brassier. No further information.
Isabelle may have been pregnant when Jean Brassier made his will and
died, for some of the genealogies of the nobility (refs #4, #5) add a fifth child:
Maurice. He is mentioned as “living in 1520,” which makes me suspect the was
mentioned the estate settlement of his mother. (I have not see the papers.)
b-5. Maurice de Brassier, who founded the branch of the Lords of la Plane of
Saint-Simon; living in 1520; m. Marie Judith de Hautvillar, of
Languedoc, who[se descendants] proved her nobility in 1669. See later
for a discussion of Maurice de Brassier.
b-1. Raymond Brassier, b. between 1465 & 1477, son of Jean Brassier
de Jocas and Isabelle de Ricci; m. 1480 (says one of the genealogies [#2], which
date would make him less than 15 years old at his marriage), Suzanne de
Laugier, daughter of Baudouin Laugier of the City of Apt. They lived in Pernes.
Suzanne’s will before Vincent Chipati, Notary of Pernes, dated 29 Jun 1494, at
Pernes names two children: Dauphine and Andre. Raymond *may* have died
before her.
c1. Dauphine de Brassier, d. unmarried.
c2. Andre de Brassier, d. 1562; m. Alienor Boutin, daughter of Bernard
Boutin and Antoinette des Astouds. Ailenor de Brassier, who died 1546
without male heirs, disposed of her property in favor of her brother,
Alexandre Boutin. Andre made a will 8 Oct 1562 before Charles de Saint
Maurice, Notary at Pernes, devising his property to a cousin, Claude de
Sainte-Marie, son of his Aunt Catherine (Brassier) de Saint-Marie. Andre
and Alienor had one natural daughter:
d1. Marie de Brassier
This line apparently went extinct with the death of Andre.
to be continued,
Charles Brashear
1718 Arroyo Sierra Circle
Santa Rosa, Ca 95405-7762
707/545-3903
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